Cronyism Evidence Piling Up for State Lawmaker

RALEIGH – The Daily Haymaker has been hot on the trail of one Rep. Bob Steinburg and some questionable business dealings.

The plot keeps thickening. Here is the latest on a curious bit of cronyism.

“Okay, let’s review. State Rep. Bob Steinburg — in his rookie season as an event promoter — talked Currituck County into paying him $50,000 to promote a basketball tournament in Asheville.

It appears that a majority of Currituck County commissioners were not informed of this deal prior to its execution. The deal was spearheaded by Currituck’s Tourism Development Authority, which is chaired by Steinburg BFF, top political lieutenant, and North Carolina House candidate Bobby Hanig. No word yet on how the deal won an exemption from the county approved rule that all funded events had to occur IN CURRITUCK COUNTY.

Sweetheart deal? We already know Steinburg best-bud Bobby Hanig chaired the group that OKed the payment to Steinburg. (Hanig also chaired the full county board of commissioners at the time of the deal.) It turns out that Steinburg may very well be getting a special, sweetheart deal on rent at the Asheville venue supposedly hosting his event.”